What Then?
by Faith-Hope-Love-Joy
Summary: What would have happened if Edward HAD killed Bella when they first met? What if Edward HADN'T sucked the venom out of Bella's wound?
1. Chapter 1

**What Then?**

"Edward!" Rosalie screamed. "How _could _you?" Her mind threw unmasked insults at me.  
I shook my head, disappointed in myself. "I don't know. Carlisle," I turned to my foster father. "Please understand. It was an accident. I was thirsty, and . . ." I trailed off, too ashamed to finish.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder. "It's all right, son. I know it must have been hard to resist as long as you did. You did your best." His mind reeked of disappointment, frustration, and misery.

"But we'll have to leave?" I asked softly, hardly able to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Yes," Carlisle said heavily. "We should at least stay as long as the funeral, though. Just to pay our last respects." He sounded weary.

"Esme," I said, turning to her. "Please, forgive me. I was crazed. I didn't think of how this would affect the rest of us. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to leave."

Esme looked up at me, a deep sadness in her eyes that wounded me deeper than anything she said ever could have. She just nodded once, slowly, then turned and walked away. Her mind was filled with sadness, imagining leaving our beautiful home and friends.

I was left alone with Jasper. I looked at him, silently pleading. He dipped his head, though not unkindly, and left the room. He was sympathetic, but firm. How could he know? He would have killed her too!

I couldn't believe it. How could I have been so stupid! But how could I have resisted? That scent! It was so delicious! "But I could have controlled myself," I said out loud. But it wasn't my fault. It was her fault, for smelling so good. No, it wasn't her fault. It was Alice's. How could she not have seen this? No, it wasn't Alice's fault either. It was . . .

I tried desperately to find someone to blame, but no one came to mind except for me. And Chief Swan. Poor Charlie. He would be heartbroken. Bella had only just arrived. And he was a police officer, for goodness' sake. He would realize something was up as soon as we left Forks. Why would we leave so suddenly? he would ask himself. Then he would know that we had something to do with his daughter's death.

And, I asked myself, what if she was tied in, deeper, with something else? Something to do with us, with me especially, as Alice had said. She saw her, as one of us. Nothing clear, but a big part of our lives. What would have happened then?

Something, a warm wind of some sort, gusted past my ear. I jerked my head up, looking for the source. All of the windows and doors were closed. None of the minds in the house concealed a hidden prank. I lowered my head into my hands again.

Then, suddenly, there it was again. A warm breeze lifted the hair by my ear, and I could have sworn I heard a high, bell-like voice call, "Edward . . . Edward . . ."

I looked around the room in confusion. I scented the air—nothing—then listened to the minds in the house. None were ones I didn't recognize.

I glanced around the room, then gasped in shock as I saw a pale figure up in the corner. She was floating, her fragile-looking silk dress swirling around her. Her face was mournful and regretful. She was transparent. A ghost.

"Edward," she called again, louder this time. "Edward."

"Wh-what?"

But she didn't answer. She just shook her head, looking inexplicably like Esme, and said, "Edward," in her ghostly voice. And then she vanished.

I shivered slightly. Was I seeing things? It was impossible for Bella's ghost to come back to haunt me . . . wasn't it?

**This is how the story ends:**

**-Edward ends up marrying Tanya but isn't satisfied. **

**-Edward goes insane because of Bella's ghost haunting him.**

**-Jasper goes insane because he tries to calm Edward down but doesn't possess the kind of power needed, and so he also goes insane.**

There is one more of "What Then" coming. Maybe more if I can think of it. But for now, only one.


	2. Chapter 2

**What Then?**

"Edward!" Rosalie screamed. "How _could _you?" Her mind threw unmasked insults at me.  
I shook my head, disappointed in myself. "I don't know. Carlisle," I turned to my foster father. "Please understand. It was an accident. I was thirsty, and . . ." I trailed off, too ashamed to finish.

Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder. "It's all right, son. I know it must have been hard to resist as long as you did. You did your best." His mind reeked of disappointment, frustration, and misery.

"But we'll have to leave?" I asked softly, hardly able to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Yes," Carlisle said heavily. "We should at least stay as long as the funeral, though. Just to pay our last respects." He sounded weary.

"Esme," I said, turning to her. "Please, forgive me. I was crazed. I didn't think of how this would affect the rest of us. I'm so sorry. I never wanted to leave."

Esme looked up at me, a deep sadness in her eyes that wounded me deeper than anything she said ever could have. She just nodded once, slowly, then turned and walked away. Her mind was filled with sadness, imagining leaving our beautiful home and friends.

I was left alone with Jasper. I looked at him, silently pleading. He dipped his head, though not unkindly, and left the room. He was sympathetic, but firm. How could he know? He would have killed her too!

I couldn't believe it. How could I have been so stupid! But how could I have resisted? That scent! It was so delicious! "But I could have controlled myself," I said out loud. But it wasn't my fault. It was her fault, for smelling so good. No, it wasn't her fault. It was Alice's. How could she not have seen this? No, it wasn't Alice's fault either. It was . . .

I tried desperately to find someone to blame, but no one came to mind except for me. And Chief Swan. Poor Charlie. He would be heartbroken. Bella had only just arrived. And he was a police officer, for goodness' sake. He would realize something was up as soon as we left Forks. Why would we leave so suddenly? he would ask himself. Then he would know that we had something to do with his daughter's death.

And, I asked myself, what if she was tied in, deeper, with something else? Something to do with us, with me especially, as Alice had said. She saw her, as one of us. Nothing clear, but a big part of our lives. What would have happened then?

Something, a warm wind of some sort, gusted past my ear. I jerked my head up, looking for the source. All of the windows and doors were closed. None of the minds in the house concealed a hidden prank. I lowered my head into my hands again.

Then, suddenly, there it was again. A warm breeze lifted the hair by my ear, and I could have sworn I heard a high, bell-like voice call, "Edward . . . Edward . . ."

I looked around the room in confusion. I scented the air—nothing—then listened to the minds in the house. None were ones I didn't recognize.

I glanced around the room, then gasped in shock as I saw a pale figure up in the corner. She was floating, her fragile-looking silk dress swirling around her. Her face was mournful and regretful. She was transparent. A ghost.

"Edward," she called again, louder this time. "Edward."

"Wh-what?"

But she didn't answer. She just shook her head, looking inexplicably like Esme, and said, "Edward," in her ghostly voice. And then she vanished.

I shivered slightly. Was I seeing things? It was impossible for Bella's ghost to come back to haunt me . . . wasn't it?

**This is how the story ends:**

**-Edward ends up marrying Tanya but isn't satisfied. **

**-Edward goes insane because of Bella's ghost haunting him.**

**-Jasper goes insane because he tries to calm Edward down but doesn't possess the kind of power needed, and so he also goes insane.**

There is one more of "What Then" coming. Maybe more if I can think of it. But for now, only one.


	3. Chapter 3

**What Then? Chapter Two**

"No, my hand, my hand is burning!" I cried through clenched teeth, writhing on the floor. I saw Carlisle and Edward crouched over me. Alice stood behind Carlisle, her eyes unfocused.

"What's my other option?" Edward growled.

"Suck the venom out," Carlisle answered softly as he buckled a belt around my leg.

"I can't!" Edward moaned, agonized.

"Soon, Edward," Carlisle said briskly.

"But I can't!" Edward yelled. "I won't be able to stop!"

"Don't worry, Edward," Alice whispered. "I see her as one of us."

Edward shook his head slowly. "I . . . I . . . I'll wait. The venom will take its course."

"If that's the way you want it, son," Carlisle answered quietly.

Suddenly I heard a yell. The next sensation I had (Besides pain) was being picked up in strong, cold arms, and cool air rushing against my face. It chilled the pain a bit, and I sighed in relief. There was a chuckle from my captor, cut off by a scream of fury behind us. But that was when I sank into unconsciousness.

"Look . . . I think she's waking up," a voice above me said excitedly. "She's really one-of-a-kind, you know. I had a feeling about her."

There was another voice, a more skeptical one. "I never thought you'd be so excited about this, James."

"Well, I know I shouldn't be, but . . . well, another vampire in the group, and something is bound to happen with Edward again. This'll be good! We can train her our own ways, and then someday she'll be ready to fight him, and he'll be heartbroken, probably about rabid, too, and then this huge fight will break out . . ." There was a slight sound of two stone-hard hands rubbing together in anticipation.

I moaned a bit and turned my head. At that point I realized all the pain was gone. I opened my eyes.

I marveled.

There was clearness to everything. I could see perfectly, even in the shadows. And I could see perfectly the two vampires looking down at me, one's face excited and curious, the other's reluctantly inquisitive.

I opened my mouth slightly, confused for about one-hundredth of a second, and then I remembered.

With an outraged shriek, I launched myself at James. His expression became one of surprise as I landed on him full-force and locked my jaws around his throat. He screamed and kicked at me, trying to get me off, but I held strong.

But then I felt another pair of hands pulling me off James. I snarled and tried to turn on whoever it was, but they held onto me tightly, and then James jumped up and secured the grip. I struggled hard, but nothing worked, and finally, I went limp in their arms, gasping.

"See?" James said smugly to Victoria. "I told you she was special."

Victoria nodded reluctantly. "Pretty angry, though. We're gonna have to fix that."

"Where's . . . . Edward?" I panted.

"Oh, don't worry about Edward," James said smoothly. "He's fine; we didn't hurt him at all. He's probably angry, oh, yes, and worried sick. But you're safe, don't worry."

I didn't want to trust him, but I couldn't help it.

"Am . . . am I a vampire?" I whispered. As I said the words, a burning sensation came to my throat. I swallowed, and panted dryly.

James' mouth twisted a little, as if trying to hide a smile. "Yes."

Victoria flipped her hair back. "I suppose you want something to drink."

"Oh, please," I said gratefully.

"Well, all right. We'll let you go now, the door's just up the stairs and too the left. Don't try to attack us, okay? And come back here when you're done."

"Yeah, okay," I agreed blindly, eager for something to cure my thirst.

"Okay." James nodded to Victoria, and they released me at the same time.

I raced forward, taking the edge off the doorframe, darting up the stairs and through the door. I couldn't wait to open it.

When I was out of the house, I scented the air and swerved north, towards the first scent that hit my nose. It wasn't human, but it was close. A carnivore.

I was so thirsty the big cat had nothing on me. Its struggles became weaker as I eagerly drank in the warm liquid.

I kicked the carcass aside when I was done, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand. I scented the air again and instinctively charged towards another scent: A much more delicious, driving smell. It had to be human.

I reached the site almost immediately. There were only two, and I made quick work of killing them. When I was done, I felt so much better. More satisfied.

I followed my own scent trail back to the small though classy house that must be James' and Victoria's. It had nothing on the Cullen's, but it was nice enough.

For the first time I noticed what I was wearing. It was a pair of jeans (now stained in blood) and a green-camo Bedazzled shirt (Also stained in blood).

I entered, not bothering to open the door, as it was hanging off the hinges from my last "exit". All around the house were thick pine forest.

James and Victoria were sitting at the table. James was leaning back, the chair's legs off the ground.

"Look who's back," James said, a wide grin splitting his face. "How was hunting?"

"Great," I said. I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help smiling back. It was easy to forget Edward. He was like a dream that I had forgotten. I had been human. I didn't know anything.

Victoria glanced from me to James, a weird look on her face. Suddenly she got up and moved over to James and kissed him. I was shocked until I remembered they were mates. Of course, he was just my friend. I felt a little bubble of sadness, but I pushed it down determinedly.

When Victoria broke away from him, James ran a hand through his hair. "Wow," he said, smiling a little. "I mean . . . wow."

I blinked a little, then looked down.

"Um," I said quietly. "So . . . um . . . what now?"  
"Oh," James said happily. "Now . . . we teach you to hunt . . . _our _way."

I raced through the forest, searching for a scent. Nothing so far, oh, but it was early.


End file.
